French troops consolidated gains in Mali's Islamist-held north as Paris said the aim was its "total reconquest" and Canada, Germany and Russia offered vital aid for the offensive....

The French advance towards the jihadist strongholds in Mali came amid reports that the militants were abandoning some of their positions and converging on the mountainous region of Kidal, their northernmost bastion, 1,500 kilometres (900 miles) from the capital Bamako and near the border with Algeria.